Holidays are celebrated around the world. Millions of Americans celebrate Christmas every year through gift giving, visiting friends and relatives, and decorating. Consumers spent nearly $13.7 billion during the 2002 online holiday shopping seasons, according to a report from The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., Harris Interactive, and Nielsen/NetRatings.
Everyone who celebrates Christmas looks forward not only to the religious significance of the season but also to all the traditions of this holiday. Perhaps the most important and memorable of all the Christmas traditions is decorating.
The Christmas tree is perhaps the most ornate decoration for the holidays. The tree is the center of attention in any room. People spend a great deal of time decorating the tree and deciding where it will be displayed. According to the results of a survey conducted by Unity Marketing, (“Holiday Decorating Destined to Be Big this Season,” Press Release of Unity Marketing, Oct. 1, 2003) of 1,000 U.S. households that decorate their home for different holidays, people decorate in order to get them in the mood for a happy, memorable celebration. Nearly three fourths of decorators agree with the statement “Decorating my home gets me in the mood for celebrating and having fun.” While decorating looks into the future, it is also nostalgic as bringing out decorations from the past rekindles fond memories. Nearly 70% of decorators agree, “I love to bring out my favorite decorations from years gone by: they are like old ‘friends’ and bring back wonderful memories.”
Generally, trimming the Christmas tree is a family time in which all members, even the youngest, participate. Putting up lights, trimming the tree, and displaying all the Christmas memorabilia, seems to stir up memories of past Christmases. Perhaps the ornament was the first one the couple bought after they were married, maybe a close relative who has since passed on gave the ornament as a gift, or the ornament could have been the first one that the children made themselves. Whatever the case may be, Christmas is a very decorative, family oriented time.
Ninety percent of Americans consider Christmas their favorite holiday. Of those who celebrate, 85% have a tree, with 34% displaying an artificial tree (“U.S. Consumers Purchase More Real Trees,” National Christmas Tree Association, realchristmastrees.org, Feb. 28, 2005). A problem exists with artificial Christmas trees. The smell of a real tree that provides nostalgic memories is not included in a plastic tree. Some artificial trees may even emit a “plastic” odor that counters the memories of childhood. To overcome this problem, people displaying artificial trees have resorted to spraying scents, candles, or using pine boughs in proximity to mimic the smell of a real Christmas tree. Other fragrances are employed to create a mood, energize the senses, or enhance a meditative moment. Currently, candles, diffusers, oils, potpourris, blended closet fresheners, linen sprays, and the like provide fragrance for homes and offices.
Problems occur with existing remedies. Pine bough wreaths or garlands leave dropped needles throughout the home or office. Burning candles can be dangerous. Sprays are expensive and typically do not last.
A need exists for an unobtrusive device to provide a pleasing scent for an artificial Christmas tree to eliminate the need for live trees, wreaths, burning candles or expensive sprays. A need exists for a device to create a desired atmosphere in a home by ‘decorating’ a room with a fragrance rather than using it simply for functional purposes. Adding other elements, such as music, lights, and the like would meet many needs to create nostalgic memories.